Game in a nutshell: In the matinee makeup for Tuesday's rainout, the Nationals stormed out to an early 5-0 lead with a flurry of base hits off the previously unbeaten Doug Fister. That provided some cushion for Dan Haren, who didn't seem to need it early but ultimately benefited from it after he served up a three-run homer in the sixth. That put the pressure on the Nationals' bullpen to close out what turned into a one-run game, and that unit delivered with flying colors. Ryan Mattheus pitched a scoreless seventh, Drew Storen tossed a scoreless eighth and Rafael Soriano got Prince Fielder to fly out to the warning track in center with two outs in the ninth to notch his 12th save in 13 tries. With that, the Nationals pulled off a two-game sweep of Detroit and earned their fourth straight win overall, improving to 19-15.

Hitting highlight: The Nationals wasted no time pouncing on Fister. Five of their first six batters recorded base hits, with DenardRead more »

Hello, Insiders. Just got back in town after a trip to Hawaii. No baseball there (other than a few innings of a televised Giants game) but a few other things to see and do.After unpacking, tuned in to see the last couple innings of the Nats game. Am now unpacked and untucked. Oh, yeah…

NatsJack. now 2 but at the time many more didnt like.NatsJack. Big Cat tells you were a catcher a generation befor Big Cat were in high school at the same high school. If so you caught a future major league pitcher.

Manassas — you must have the LoD confused with NI regulars. For the latter, NatsJack's recollection is correct. I was mostly excited about Span from the start as a real lead off hitter with a high OBP, an ingredient that's essential to a winning team that's balanced enough to win in whatever way the game allows. What I didn't expect is that he'd be such a freakin' effortless vacuum cleaner in CF whose reads and routes are the best on the team. And that he covers so much ground in CF that Werth and Harp can shade so far towards the line that they can turn sure doubles into singles with a quick cutoff as Bryce did on Jackson's drive in the 7th last night, right in front of where I was sitting.

Haren has 4 wins and its May 9th. the guy he replaced, Ejax had 10 all of last year…so far, so good. Realize there are much more stats to compare the two, but am pleased with the 4 wins. Wins are wins!

I have been so focused on my daily baseball angst. Now I look back– Reds, Braves, Pittsburgh, Tigers. Not a cakewalk. Reds and Tigers and Braves, oh, my! Not too shabby my friends. Not too shabby. Kind of worried about the Jayson thing. Sickness, dehydration, cramps, antibiotics– this does not sound like your garden variety stomach bug. I have never actually heard if anyone getting antibiotics for their stomach. That's kind of an infection thing. Very weird.

Back from the game! I was there with Jahidi White who is in town this weekend. When the rain storm started we went up to get some food. Funny all the people that wanted his autograph and most had no idea who he was but knew he was someone who played something.Great game. Nats have now won the season series against the Tigers and the Reds. The Braves will be a work in progress to get the upper hand on that season series.We thought Bernadina's bunt just got in Fister's head. He wasn't right after that.

NatsJack in Florida said… Watching Mets/Rays and man, did the Blue Jays get hosed on the Dickey trade. ________________________You mean Blue Jays/Rays and yes, I think that the Mets are quietly smiling like they had a bad feeling on Dickey.

Let's have some extra love for Mattheus today. Six days without pitching, comes in to face the dangerous 2-3-4 guys — gets the first two, gives up a single to #4 (Fielder) but then retires #5 in two pitches.

that is exactly what I meant. My sister was class of 63 and I walked up to the school and watched the games. loved watching Tom Bradley. I was in second grade and was president of the Wally Brown fan club. rightfielder.He talked to us little kids all the time.

Hey everyone!! Still battling my stomach virus. If Werth has what I am dealing with I am surprised he is even in the dugout.Got to read lots of comments on lots of posts. I still skip the in-game stuff but I just wanted to let Eric know what a breath of fresh air he is. Yes, I actually read some Peric way down where he is still beating the drum for Tyler. Now don't get me wrong, I want Tyler Moore to do well but its just silly right now. Peric – span will not be on the bench, neither will LaRoche. Just find a new mantra and like Eric, we will beware the bold (what a joke).Had to laugh at our boy Bobby Carpenter today on TV. He has always had a hard time calling where the baseball might land. Lots of excitement for popups and sometimes he has no idea a ball is going out. Today he actually missed the call on the weather. They came back from break and he starts going on about the sun coming out and no more rain and then, what do you know – its a total downpour. At least he is consistent.Great win and our bullpen is just so solid right now. Haren with 4 wins makes me happy. I realize that lots of you use all kinds of stats and percentages and letters and numbers to prove who is best. Guess what? The team with the most runs wins! Haren is doing what LannEn did in years past. He just wins. I love it.Go Nats!!

34 games– how many of those games do you guess we have had our ideal offensive lineup? I am guessing not many. I just keep thinking if we could ever just have everyone in the right place for a few games…….

Was looking at the scoreboard, and I mentioned to Older Nephew, "Hey, Haren's ERA is finally under 5!" (was 4.50).O.N. says, "Don't say that."The very next pitch Tonawonadingdong hits a 3-run shot.Sorry, everyone.Fun game, though. One thing bothered me: When Moore ran a long way for that foul pop and it dropped out of his glove, he tossed the ball into the stands, and whoever caught it threw it back. Didn't like that one bit. From where we were sitting, I couldn't tell if the round of booing that followed was directed at the fan or at Moore. I certainly hope not Moore. No, he's not a great fielder, but it was a tough play, and he didn't deserve to get booed for it.

I woulda kept in Roger instead of Tyler today. I'm so happy we have Mattheus. And that we beat the Tigers. I will say I am one of the ones who was unhappy we got Span. Not that it matters. I'm finally loving Soriano, and I was mad about that originally. So far I love 24 of the guys. One day I'll quit blaming Span for no more Mikey. I know I really ought to blame Rizzo, but there you have it.

Nice that Ryan Z.,and LaRoche came through today despite all the chatter about their fading skills. One day, true, but a nice day. And hasn't there been some talk earlier this season about what a bad move it was getting Span? Not much in the field and a slap hitter, wasn't it? Lately, he's looking like a very valuable player. Bernadina contributed as well. Only cousin Tyler failed in his one chance but I have faith in him down the road. The guy is a horse and once day we will enjoy the ride.

Can't give Moore to hard of a time for dropping the foul ball. He covered a lot of ground and, for him, if he had hung on it would've been a heck of a play. That said, I honestly think every other outfielder on the team makes the catch. I understood Davey's logic in pinch hitting for Shark, but I didn't like it because of the potential dropoff in defense. That could have blown up in Davey's face, but it didn't. Johnson is uncanny sometimes. I'll be glad when Werth is back. Other observations from today: Maybe the stats don't give Haren a "quality start" as Mark says, but I thought that he pitched a gutsy game against a heck of a great lineup, and as was said earlier, a win's a win. He is a good back of the rotation guy.The team overall is starting to really start not just playing better, but with more self confidence. You see that they have cast away the demons from two weeks ago.Ryan and Adam are waking up. Hope some stats get padded against the Cubs staff.Other than the bonehead non-doubleplay on Haren's toss to 2nd, Desi and Espy looked like a middle infield on a championship team.Span is just terrific in CF. And I don't want to start a big argument, but he is, in my opinion, the overall best defensive centerfielder we've had. No, his arm isn't in the same breath as Ankiel's but I don't think that Rick ever get the jumps, or ran as great of routes that Denard does. Again, my opinion. He has had some baserunning guffaws, but he is showing that he is capable of being the best leadoff hitter since the Nats got to DC. Soriano is just a treat.GYFNG!!!

Seamhead wrote: Span is just terrific in CF. And I don't want to start a big argument, but he is, in my opinion, the overall best defensive centerfielder we've had.Yep. See my comments after game #2 (my first in-person game this year). I was blown away by how Span covered huge ground by gliding. And I learned — once again — that you can see things in person that you can't see on TV. How much ground Span covers is one of those things that you have to see in person to fully appreciate how much it is.

Today he actually missed the call on the weather. They came back from break and he starts going on about the sun coming out and no more rain and then, what do you know – its a total downpour.He had that call exactly right. The rain stopped, the inning ended, I left my seat to use the mens room, and when I came back the sun was out and nothing but blue skies above. I got to my seat and…downpour. Still nothing but blue skies above. It kept raining for several minutes while the field was bathed in sunshine. Today was a total WTF weather day.

I wish Tyler Moore nothing but good luck. I'm not sure where you can hide him to get his bat in the lineup. In leftfield he reminds me of Willingham, a converted catcher that was never a very good outfielder. He was passible, at best, and has flourished much better in the AL.

Tyler Moore is not an outfielder. He is a first baseman. Think you could stick Adam out there and he would make that play?? How about Prince? It's just a shame to see a promising young player on this path. Not saying there is an easy answer. He is well and truly blocked and Chris Marrero is raking. Just very unfortunate.

Tim Dz:Taylor Jordan was a 9th round pick in 2009 out of Miami Dade.He was having a promising year at Hagerstown in 2011, going 9-4 with a 2.48 ERA, when the Nats shut him down and he had TJ surgery.He spent 2012 in recovery and made a few starts.He entered this year as the Nats' No. 17 prospect and got off to a good start at Potomac, going 2-1 with a 1.26 ERA.

Denard Span is the unsung hero of the early season. The guy was sensational in centerfield yesterday and day in and day out. He is a terrific leadoff man and brings a competent maturity to the team. One of my favorite players in 2013.